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Second Malignancies in CLL

Evaluating the effects of acute leukemias and MDS

Publish date:: September 9, 2015

Overall, outcomes for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) subsequently diagnosed with acute leukemia (AL) or myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) were poor, according to a study of 95 patients with CLL, comprising 38 patients also diagnosed with acute leukemia AL and 57 also diagnosed with MDS. Researchers found:

Among the 38 patients with AL:

• 33 had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 3 had acute lymphocytic leukemia (1Ph⁺), 1 had biphenotypic, and 1 had extramedullary.

• Unfavorable AML karyotype was noted in 26 patients and intermediate risk in 7.

• There was no association between survival from AML and number of prior CLL regimens or karyotype.

• Expression of CD7 on blasts was associated with shorter survival.

Among the 57 patients with MDS:

• All IPSS scores were represented.

• Shorter survival from MDS correlated with higher risk IPSS, poor-risk karyotype, and increased number of prior CLL treatments.

Citation: Tambaro FP, Garcia-Manero G, O’Brien SM, et al. Outcomes for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome. [Published online ahead of print August 20, 2015]. Leukemia. doi: 10.1038/leu.2015.227.

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